Celebrate the arrival of May’s warm weather by cooling off to some beers in St. Louis, river rafting in North Carolina, or kayaking in British Columbia.
By Nate Storey
St. Louis Microfest, May 1-2
St. Louis, Missouri
Beer nuts should make their way to Missouri this weekend for a surfeit of international and domestic brews at Microfest. The first of three sessions is Friday night at 6 pm when the gates will open to a buffet of over 50 international beers ($20, includes a tasting glass, get online tickets here). Later, the Dogtown Allstars will liven things up with a sampling of jazz and funk. If you’ve got a few extra bucks to burn, stop buy the VIP Biergarten and delve into the extensive Belgium beer collection ($15). Saturday’s first go-around begins at noon and pays tribute to good old American cask breweries ($25). Hose Linking & Coiling and Malt Bag Stacking battles will take place during the Brewer Olympics at 2:20 pm. If you see giant brutes tossing around full kegs like you do your little brother then the Strongman Competition has begun. The night session ($20) is the converging of nations—call it the League of Beers—as a full cast of both foreign and domestic beers are on tap. The “Big Barbie” at the Amalgamated Brewing Co. Food Tent is priority one for barbeque hounds and afterwards, make sure to stop by the 7:50 pm Michelob Beer Talk seminar on the subtle art of beer tasting for instruction on how to use your eyes and ears to get the most out of your beer (seriously).
Travel and Accommodation
All major airlines serve St. Louis. The Hampton Inn & Suites St. Louis at Forest Park sits next to the park that hosts Microfest. Rooms are starting at $129 a night.
French Broad River Festival, May 1-3
Hot Spring, North Carolina
River rafters and canoers will go south this weekend to the French Broad River, the third oldest river on earth, for a riverside bash ($99 for an all-inclusive ticket). The 12th annual French Broad River Festival begins on Friday with two stages of live music and Paddle with the Pros, a canoe expedition led by three-time world champion and Open Canoe legend Eli Helbert. Saturday morning presents two options; peddle pushers should join the mountain bike race through Pisgah National Forest ($15, 10-18 miles depending on level) or if you’re more inclined to spend the day on the river, get in on the 9-mile raft race that oscillates between class one and four whitewater. In the afternoon, pony up for some new gear at the silent auction. Wake up Sunday and stretch your aching muscles with a yoga session at 10 am before packing up camp.
Travel and Accommodation
Ashville Regional Airport services Delta, Continental and US Airways, and is a 45-minute drive to Hot Springs. Camping fees are included in the ticket price and parking is $10.
Vancouver Kayak Club Whitewater Festival, May 1-3
Vancouver, British Columbia
If the southland is out of your reach, you can still hit the river by heading north of the border to the VKC Whitewater Festival ($55) on the Chilliwack River in British Columbia. Get registered on Friday and familiarize yourself with the river with a few test runs. If you’re ears start popping like Rice Krispies it’s because the Chilliwack drops 600m in elevation over its course. Start Saturday off on a guided morning hike through the Cascade Mountain Range before gearing up for a 1 o’clock guided run down the Chilliwack to acclimate newcomers to the river, especially the famous “Tamihi” rapid. Once you know the dips and dives of the route, test your skills at the Downriver race beginning at 5 pm. Fill up on the provided dinner after the race and chill to some live tunes by Switch. Sunday brings a slew of dry-land contests including the World Kayak Throwdown at 1 pm, a judged kayak skill challenge. End the weekend with a stop at Moveo’s massage tent to work out the kinks from the weekends work.
Travel and Accommodation
Vancouver is the nearest major airport and about an hour and a half drive east to Chilliwack. Camp is located next to the “Tamihi” rapid.
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